Thursday, June 30, 2011

i can!

I have always wanted to can but have been too intimated by the process and all the equipment needed.


Last week a very generous friend offered me a bunch of pickling cucumbers from her parents enormous garden and the use of her family's canning equipment. I figured I would never get a better opportunity than that!


I followed a simple recipe but added a couple of red pepper flakes and black peppercorns to each jar. I ended up with 11 quarts of pickles.


The same generous friend gave me several pounds of blackberries to make blackberry jam.


I followed the recipe she gave me but strained the seeds cause I hate getting seeds stuck in my teeth! So I guess that makes it blackberry jelly.


The jelly was SO good on biscuits the next day!


I had so much fun canning. It wasn't hard at all. I shouldn't have been scared of it. Someday when I don't have a forest for a backyard I will be able to have a garden and I will can all that we reap. Can't wait!

Thanks Nellie for being so thoughtful and generous!

15 comments:

Kelly said...

Those are some awesome friends you have there! Great job! I'm hoping someday to be able to plant enough tomatoes to can them. So far, I only have room for 8.

Naomi said...

Hello! I found your blog through another blog (can't remember which one!) and it's wonderful!! I just started canning about a year or two ago and it's very intimidating at first! But now I LOVE it! Being able to eat fresh food through the winter is my favorite part!! =)

Unknown said...

The jam looks awesome! I bet Ez will be LOVING the pickles :)

Tammy @ she wears flowers said...

I am SO jealous. I am completely frightened of canning myself and of buying the stuff to do it! I really, really want to learn though. Your food looks fabulous and I bet it is SOOOO yummy!

Emily said...

Great job! Love that you strained the blackberries. I've only canned once but didn't actually do much. I'm not ready to dive into buying my own stuff yet, due to lack of storage space.

chris said...

Great job. I had a sweet lady in our old ward take me under her wing and demystify canning...I love making real jam now. :)

Kalleen at Second Street said...

I've only canned once and decided it wasn't worth all the effort. My little sister who is single with no kids does it all the time and loves it. I may need to try it again. Those pickles look delish and my kids love blackberry jam. Why can't we be neighbors, it would be more fun with a friend.

michael ann said...

oh YUM! my in laws have tons and tons of wild blackberry bushes and i love blackberry jam... i've always been intimidated by canning and jamming, but if you say its not too hard then i'm going to have to try it!

Lindsey Johnson//Cafe Johnsonia said...

Way to go! I've always wanted to do pickles, but they kind of intimidate me. I'm counting the minutes until the local blackberries are ripe and ready because I want some of that jam!

i said...

the jars of jam pic is stunning!

jt said...

I want her to be my friend.
I haven't canned in a couple of years, and the only times I do it are with family when using all of their equipment, but I wish I could do it more often because I love reaping the rewards all year long. How are the pickles? Are they crisp? I love a good pickle like Clausen but kind of can't stand them if they're soft.

Kimberellie said...

Too pretty! I love how canning is just as lovely as it is delicious! Good work!!

heart: Kimberellie Miss Furnellie (STILL with a baby in her belly, sigh ;-)

Kathy W. - One Brown Mom said...

NICE!!!!

Monica and Whitney said...

The title of this post totally cracks me up. And those pickles look BEAUTIFUl. I love pickles.
I am so in love with your blog!! Now following.

Enter our giveaway for a $50 Visa Card!

Jamie Garlick said...

Wow, that brings back pickle memories from our girlhood, with Bro. Porter! LOL!! I will NEVER forget that day!!

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